The best Amazon Prime Day tech deals of 2018

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Does anything exemplify a big sale like getting a deep discount on that shiny new gadget you've been eyeing for months? Not in my book. Amazon Prime Day may mean great sales on everything from quick-drying towels to bulk dog food, but let's be real: nothing's more exciting that seeing hundreds of dollars shaved off drool-inducing products like TVs, high-end headphones, and powerful game consoles.

This is the best Prime Day deal on a TV

The TCL S Series is the best Prime Day TV deal(Photo: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar)

There's a handful of TVs that are deeply discounted for Prime Day, but the TCL S Series from 2017 is the best deal. You might be tempted by the 4K Fire TV deal, but don't go for the Amazon-branded stuff when it's a big-ticket item. The TCL S Series took our award for Best Value last year, and it delivers a picture that'll impress all but the pickiest videophiles.

Stream your favorite TV & movies for less

The Fire TV is a great streaming device discount(Photo: Amazon)

Where streaming devices are involved, Amazon's discount on its own Fire TV streaming devices take the cake. While we traditionally prefer Roku devices thanks to their content agnosticism, if you're a Prime subscriber (very likely, given the nature of Prime day), the Fire TV devices are an awesome choice, and getting the latest 4K/Alexa-enabled Fire TV for $35 (down from $70) is the awesomest.

Audiophile headphones for serious listeners

These aren't the best of Audio-Technica's headphone lineup, but as a musician, I used the ATH-M40x over-ear headphones every day for about 4 years without complaint. They're a little old at this point, and don't have newer embellishments like a detachable cable or in-line mic/controls, but if your goal is high-quality sound without shelling out tons of money, this is one of the best Prime Day deals on headphones.

A superb recording microphone

An excellent XLR microphone(Photo: Audio-Technica)

Another great option for musicians or music-lovers from Audio-Technica, the AT2020 XLR is a lauded cardiod/condenser microphone that's been deeply discounted for Prime Day. Whether you've got a home recording studio, want to make YouTube videos or stream Twitch, or simply want to super-charge the audio quality in your Skype calls, this one is at an excellent discount for Prime Day. I use it at home and can vouch for it wholeheartedly.

A sleek, powerful laptop that's very affordable

This Acer Chromebook delivers a lot for a little(Photo: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar)

If you're looking to get a low-cost laptop that's great for browsing the web, writing, or handling simple tasks like running Chrome apps, this Acer Chromebook is on sale, and at one of the lowest prices we've seen. While it normally goes for around $220, with Prime Day discounts you can grab it for $139, which is a great price considering the Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and HD display.

The best-connected baby monitor around

This is the best-connected baby monitor around(Photo: Amazon)

The Netgear Arlo Smart WiFi Video Baby Monitor is the best-connected monitor we've ever tested, and we've put more than a few through the ringer. It's also got adorable bunny ears and has never been this affordable—what's not to wuv?

One of our favorite smart bulbs

Philips Hue smart bulb(Photo: Amazon)

The "white" version of one of our favorite smart bulbs, the Philips Hue, is discounted for Amazon Prime Day. We've tested lots of smart/programmable/dimmable bulbs, and Philips Hue is the leader of the pack most of the time. While plain white might not be the most exciting, it'll elicit the least raised eyebrows from house guests too.

A reliable, high quality Xbox controller

Microsoft's first-party Xbox controller is still one of the best(Photo: Reviewed / Lee Neikirk)

When we tested a bunch of Xbox controllers to find out which were the best performers (and best value) amongst all the first- and third-party options, it turned out the basic Xbox Wireless Controller was still probably the best choice for most people. While you can get super-cheap controllers for like $25, the proprietary controller operates best with the Xbox software, has the most features, and is all-around the best value if you're looking for a longer term investment.

The most valuable Kindle E-Reader

The Kindle Paperwhite is the most valuable eReader for most people(Photo: Amazon)

The Kindle Paperwhite might not be as fancy as the Oasis or the Voyage, but at its discounted Prime Day rate it's definitely the most valuable E-reader around, offering a frills-free experience in a compact, durable form factor. Most of the my co-workers swear by it, and if you've been thinking about picking up a Kindle anyway, the Paperwhite is the classic entry-level model.